Two points - one on "the Greek," the other on the various issues the last few threads on here have been exploring.
Some of the replies on some of these threads remind me of an arguement posed by the nevertheless, great Bible student, the late Scotland Yard detective, Sir Robert Anderson.
Wherein he declares that because he did not see Paul preaching the Mystery in Acts 17, but rather, "as his manner was," preaching only "the Scriptures" then written, Paul therefore did not preach the Mystery in Acts 17.
And yet, there Paul is in his own words, reminding the Thessalonians of Acts 17 on those aspects of the Mystery he had shared with them "while [he] was yet with [them]," 2 Thess. 2:5.
Point is, the Mystery is its own context. The revelation of which resulted in a change in meaning in many things, as Romans 11, and 2nd Peter, per Gal. 2:7-9, clearly declare.
Thus, the obvious confusion the Jerusalem saints, given all that the prophets had prophesied was to be the order of things, are seen contending with, God knowing all along He would clear such things up through this, at first, seemingly odd new Apostle of - of all things foreign to that which had been thus far written - of the Gentiles without Israel having first been filled as prophesied, Isaiah 60;1-3; Luke 1-4, Mark 8:27, Acts 3:24-26.
Of the Gentiles, as an Apostle born out of, outside of, God's prophesied, Israel first, due time redemption [said due time once more placed on hold, by God, as He had planned] "til the fulness of the Gentiles be come in," Rom. 11:25, 2 Peter 3.
1 Corinthians 2 clearly teaches a change in the meaning of things as a result of said revelation - "for had they known it [the mystery] they [the dark princes of this evil age] would not have crucified the Lord of glory," 1 Cor. 2:7.
I still recall the long, seven page article someone once wrote me on "the Greek meaning of the word musterion," in their attempt to dissuade me from the Mid-Acts Perspective, to no avail.
Years later, we ran into one another. There they were, still stuck on that long "in the Greek" initiated, this, that and the other, "mystery religions..."
I was still pointing to the fact of its meaning having been rendered right there in 1 Corinthians, by how words are used in the passage:
"the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Cor. 2:7-9.
Basic meanings for the word meant by the Spirit through the Apostle Paul, found right there in the passage, by how it uses words - a truth [hidden] by God - thus, which neither [the uninitiated] the dark princes of this world, nor those inspired to write Scripture before the Apostle Paul, had been made privy to.
As a result, for my understanding of words, I do not rely much on Greek lexicons, and such for my meanings, but rather, on how words are used, and that, in light of the great impact the revelation of the Mystery had on their meanings.
In this point, in light of that, and Eph. 3: 9's "the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God," Jerry, and I don't always agree with him either, the late great Bible student C.R. Stam is ever sound in his assertion, that Acts 3:21 and Romans 16:25 are not the same:
Acts 3:
21. Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
Romans 16:
25. Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Given the above reliance - on how words are used, and that, in light of the revelation of the Mystery's impact on the meaning of things, "by faith which is in me" is to me, a reference to the "forgiveness of sins" the Lord, in that passage declares unto Paul He alone made possible. It is a reference to Romans 3: 22's "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:"
It is a reference to the gospel of the grace of God in His Son, to all and upon all without distinction by the time Paul was called, for by that time, per Paul's own words, God had concluded all - Israel - "them that were near" - no nearer to God now, than the far off Gentiles - in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all, Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:17.
Them that are sanctified being a reference to "the saints," of Eph. 2:19-22 - that Two-Fold household of God - the election of Israel, the Little Flock were are a part of, when God sealed them and cut off Israel from the circumcision gospel, and that New Creature - the Body of Christ He then began to reveal through a new Aostle - Paul - He'd planned to begin building of both heathen - of those fallen Israelites and the Gentiles He was now granting one more opportunity to inherit eternal life.
Danoh
Eph. 4:16
Some of the replies on some of these threads remind me of an arguement posed by the nevertheless, great Bible student, the late Scotland Yard detective, Sir Robert Anderson.
Wherein he declares that because he did not see Paul preaching the Mystery in Acts 17, but rather, "as his manner was," preaching only "the Scriptures" then written, Paul therefore did not preach the Mystery in Acts 17.
And yet, there Paul is in his own words, reminding the Thessalonians of Acts 17 on those aspects of the Mystery he had shared with them "while [he] was yet with [them]," 2 Thess. 2:5.
Point is, the Mystery is its own context. The revelation of which resulted in a change in meaning in many things, as Romans 11, and 2nd Peter, per Gal. 2:7-9, clearly declare.
Thus, the obvious confusion the Jerusalem saints, given all that the prophets had prophesied was to be the order of things, are seen contending with, God knowing all along He would clear such things up through this, at first, seemingly odd new Apostle of - of all things foreign to that which had been thus far written - of the Gentiles without Israel having first been filled as prophesied, Isaiah 60;1-3; Luke 1-4, Mark 8:27, Acts 3:24-26.
Of the Gentiles, as an Apostle born out of, outside of, God's prophesied, Israel first, due time redemption [said due time once more placed on hold, by God, as He had planned] "til the fulness of the Gentiles be come in," Rom. 11:25, 2 Peter 3.
1 Corinthians 2 clearly teaches a change in the meaning of things as a result of said revelation - "for had they known it [the mystery] they [the dark princes of this evil age] would not have crucified the Lord of glory," 1 Cor. 2:7.
I still recall the long, seven page article someone once wrote me on "the Greek meaning of the word musterion," in their attempt to dissuade me from the Mid-Acts Perspective, to no avail.
Years later, we ran into one another. There they were, still stuck on that long "in the Greek" initiated, this, that and the other, "mystery religions..."
I was still pointing to the fact of its meaning having been rendered right there in 1 Corinthians, by how words are used in the passage:
"the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Cor. 2:7-9.
Basic meanings for the word meant by the Spirit through the Apostle Paul, found right there in the passage, by how it uses words - a truth [hidden] by God - thus, which neither [the uninitiated] the dark princes of this world, nor those inspired to write Scripture before the Apostle Paul, had been made privy to.
As a result, for my understanding of words, I do not rely much on Greek lexicons, and such for my meanings, but rather, on how words are used, and that, in light of the great impact the revelation of the Mystery had on their meanings.
In this point, in light of that, and Eph. 3: 9's "the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God," Jerry, and I don't always agree with him either, the late great Bible student C.R. Stam is ever sound in his assertion, that Acts 3:21 and Romans 16:25 are not the same:
Acts 3:
21. Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
Romans 16:
25. Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Given the above reliance - on how words are used, and that, in light of the revelation of the Mystery's impact on the meaning of things, "by faith which is in me" is to me, a reference to the "forgiveness of sins" the Lord, in that passage declares unto Paul He alone made possible. It is a reference to Romans 3: 22's "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:"
It is a reference to the gospel of the grace of God in His Son, to all and upon all without distinction by the time Paul was called, for by that time, per Paul's own words, God had concluded all - Israel - "them that were near" - no nearer to God now, than the far off Gentiles - in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all, Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:17.
Them that are sanctified being a reference to "the saints," of Eph. 2:19-22 - that Two-Fold household of God - the election of Israel, the Little Flock were are a part of, when God sealed them and cut off Israel from the circumcision gospel, and that New Creature - the Body of Christ He then began to reveal through a new Aostle - Paul - He'd planned to begin building of both heathen - of those fallen Israelites and the Gentiles He was now granting one more opportunity to inherit eternal life.
Danoh
Eph. 4:16
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